Originally, it would happen a year later, but I had no intention of waiting for a year.

In the previous life, Jihan had made a massive investment in In-tek, leading Hojin Construction to ruin.

And in this life, by merging with In-tek, the downfall of Hojin Group was only a matter of time.

“It’s the disaster caused by your incompetence. It’s not my fault.”

Jihan’s face cringed at my piercing words.

Even if he came to me and accused me now, nothing would change.

All of it was the business accumulated by Jihan.

Looking down at my wristwatch, I could see that the broadcasting time was about to end.

Thinking that it was time to leave, I walked past him.
In the attempt to leave like that, I turned back towards Jihan, struck by a sudden thought.

“Oh, and it seems I got the wrong address.”

Jihan slowly raised his head at my subdued voice.

“Instead of doing this to me, shouldn’t you be begging the chairman right away?”

Leaving the broadcasting station, Jihan received Min-guk’s call and headed straight to the main house in Pyeongchang-dong.

The contents of the conversation I had with Min-guk throughout the way lingered in my mind.

Min-guk, who was on a long business trip to the United States as a branch manager, had left for an urgent contract before the founding anniversary.

He contacted me right away after seeing the news about In-tech in the U.S.

[Dash] What the hell did you do? How can a company like ours, which steals the technology of another company, merge with them!

After the article was released, In-tech became a global thief.

[Dash] Of all things, they stole Tessel’s technology. Instead of leaping to a global company, they ended up in the worst ranks of companies!

Jihan remembered Min-guk’s words and regulated his short breath.

Following the divorce article, the image of Hojin Group had already hit rock bottom due to the contract murder case involving Serin.

[Dash] What should I do! Because of you, the Hojin Group, which I built up so hard, is staggering!

Min-guk remained cold to Jihan’s plea for forgiveness until the end.

[Dash] Whether you go to the main house and beg the chairman or plead, do it yourself!

Until the call ended, Min-guk’s uproar didn’t stop.

‘Damn!’

Even after hanging up the phone, Jihan, recalling Min-guk’s voice vividly, muttered curses under his breath.

Director Kim said he was investigating the whereabouts of the disappeared researcher as soon as the article broke out.

Although In-tech’s technological capabilities had risen.

He never dreamed that this technological prowess was stolen from another company.

Clearly, this merger case was an accident that showed Jihan’s incompetence.

As we entered the mansion, Mujin, who was sitting in the living room, turned his head.

“Follow me to the study.”

Leaving only those words with a fiercely low tone, Mujin disappeared into the study.

Jihan’s hand trembled as he knocked on the door of the study.

As he entered the study, Mujin, who was standing behind the desk, came into view.

Mujin’s calm and composed face was flushed red.

On his desk, a packet of pills was messily placed, indicating that he had taken blood pressure medication.

Mujin looked at Jihan, grabbed the cold water in front of him, and gulped it down.

“Chairman….”

Jihan called out to Mujin with a trembling voice.

Mujin’s sharp gaze was fixed on Jihan at the sound of being called.

“Don’t say much. Prepare to step down from the successor position.”

“Chairman!”

Jihan rushed up to Mujin and kneeled in front of him.

“I won’t entrust the group I’ve dedicated my whole life to someone like you.”

“Chairman, if you give me one more chance…”

“A chance?”

Mujin sneered at Jihan’s words about a chance.
Mujin, clutching the packet of pills, squeezed it so tightly that his fist turned white.

“I will make it up! However, I caused damage to the group, I will somehow compensate for it…”

Desperately continuing his words, Jihan couldn’t help but stop speaking.

Because Mujin poured the water bottle he was holding directly over Jihan’s head.

The water flowing through Jihan’s hair dripped onto the floor, dampening the carpet.

As if indicating there were no more chances for him, Mujin threw the water bottle he was holding to the side of Jihan.

[Dash] Thud!

The rolling water bottle hit Jihan’s kneeling knees.

With the empty bottle scattered on the floor, it overlapped with Jihan’s figure.

Like him, who had lost everything and plummeted to the bottom.

Closing his eyes slowly, Jihan heard Mujin’s voice.

“I gave you countless opportunities from the moment you entered my house.”

“…”

“Surpassing your older brother and becoming the successor of Hojin Group is evidence of that.”

Mujin’s scolding sounded like a death sentence.

“But today, for the first time, I regretted my choice. It seems better to entrust Hojin to a professional manager than to someone as incompetent as you.”

“Chairman…!”

As the words ‘professional manager’ came from Mujin, Jihan widened his eyes.

Mujin’s statement of entrusting the group to someone else was too humiliating.

As if he couldn’t tolerate it, red veins appeared in Jihan’s eyes.

“Why? After becoming the successor, did you think Hojin was in your hands?”

Mujin’s mocking tone further irritated Jihan.

“Why? After working all my life to become the successor! Chairman should know! I can’t step back like this.”

“…”

“What do you believe, saying you’ll entrust Hojin to someone else! I’m here!”

Upon hearing Jihan’s continued words, Mujin burst into laughter.

In a situation that was not laughable, Mujin’s laughter erupted, freezing Jihan’s face.

“Interesting. You can’t entrust Hojin to someone else.”

“…”

“Yeah, it’s been over twenty years since you entered our house as Min-guk’s child. Time has passed so quickly.”

“…”

As Mujin’s ambiguous words continued, tension spread across Jihan’s face.

Staring at him, Mujin slowly knelt down and met Jihan’s gaze.

“You and your father seem alike but also different.”

“What’s that…?”

As Mujin’s meaningful words continued, Jihan’s fingertips trembled.

In the meaningful expression of Mujin, Jihan’s heart sank deeply.

“Have you never found it strange? Even though we were family, your mother, who bore my son, couldn’t enter Korea without my permission.”

“…”

“Moreover, everyone in the house had an allergic reaction to medication, except for you.”

Mujin’s large hand pressed on Jihan’s shoulder.

Under the strong force pressing his shoulder, Jihan suppressed the groan trying to escape.

“Why do you think that is?”